A tragedy set in Thebes after a civil war. The new ruler, Creon, forbids the burial of one of the fallen men, who is branded a traitor. Antigone, the dead man's sister, believes that family duty and divine law require her to honour him, whatever the king commands. Their clash raises lasting questions about conscience and state authority, loyalty and law, and stubbornness and wisdom. Others in the household and the city are drawn in as the conflict grows. It remains one of the most performed plays of the ancient world.